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Browse our autism education ideas, autism therapy resources, and ABA therapy ideas to find what you need for your special education or early childhood classroom. Our goal is to provide you with autism education and therapy articles, and general support to help promote positive special ed and regular ed learning activities at home and at school.

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As 2013 comes to a close, we look back at some of the news articles that had the biggest impact on our thinking this year.

Telling your child about autism should not be the “Big Talk.” Saying that it's big makes it seem like it's bad. Read more of Brenda Rothman’s article at Huffington Post Education.

For the past 17 years, Stages Learning Materials has been a leader in print-based early language materials. In a few weeks, we will enter the digital market with our Language Builder App for iPad. Learn more here

Autism+Insurance? There's an app for that! Does navigating insurance coverage and eligible autism therapy coverage make your head spin? Us too. Now there is an app for that! Autism Speaks Insurance Link is a new tool that leads families through a series of questions taht will help to determine whether their policy covers common autism treatments.

Most early childhood classrooms are stocked with blocks, crayons, puzzles, and many other tools to support fine motor development. With the iPad becoming ubiquitous across all subject areas in the classroom, does this mean beloved manipulatives and toys no longer have a place in the classroom and will begin to collect dust? One big question continues to pop up: should we replace traditional fine motor development activities and exercises for iPad apps? We think a balanced approach is the way to go. Read more here.

To tech or not to tech in early childhood? At Stages Learning, we believe that it is not an either/or but rather both. The unforgettable Fred Rogers once said "Let's not get too caught up with what technology can do that we forget what it can't do. It's through relationships that we grow best and learn best." To help parents and teachers meaningfully blend hands-on and digital learning both at home and at school, we have started a new blog series. Each week we will showcase a new hands-on and digital activity to support deeper learning. Read more here.

Do you know a child with special needs or a teacher that would benefit from using technology in their classroom? Visit A4CWSN (Apps For Kids with Special Needs) to apply for an iPad!

Give Back with AmazonSmile. Are you addicted to Amazon like us? Now your Amazon shopping can benefit different eligible charities through shopping at smile.amazon.com. Our Amazon addiction can now benefit Autism Speaks. Click here to start shopping!

Are Girls with Autism Being Ignored? According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 54 boys in diagnosed with autism while only 1 in 252 girls are diagnosed with ASD. Catherine Pearson from the Huffington Post examines differences in how autism presents across male and females in her article "How Girls With Autism Are Being Shortchanged."

Transitions are challenging for most children, but this is especially with children with autism. As we prepare to send our kids back to the school routine, review Lisa Quinones-Fontanez "7 Tips to Ease Transitions for Kids with Autism."

See what else was notable in 2013 by revisiting our other blog articles on Stages Learning Letters.

Lindsey Dunn received her BS in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Austin with a specialization in literacy and teaching English as a second language. After graduating, she began teaching in an inclusive kindergarten setting in Katy Independent School District, a leader in educational technology implementation. During her time as a teacher, Lindsey worked on modifying various educational technologies to meet the range of needs of her younger learners.
In 2013 she completed her Ed.M at the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a focus in Technology, Innovation, and Education. Following her time at Harvard, she completed a graduate school fellowship with Education Pioneers, a program geared towards training leaders to transforms the education section. As an Education Pioneer Fellow, Lindsey worked with STEMscopes, a science curriculum publisher, based out of Rice University in Houston Texas. During her summer she facilitated over eighty-five prekindergarten through twelfth grade teachers through the training and development of a new curriculum based on the Next Generation Science Standards. Lindsey has also consulted with large educational publishers and video game designers on effective learning design.